TIMMINS – City council unanimously approved the site plan agreement for the Hollinger Project on Monday, giving Goldcorp formal permission to proceed with the open pit mining operation that was first proposed back in 2007.

The decision did come after Bill Hughes, owner of the Senator Place apartments, and Rick Dubeau of the Hollinger Project Community Advisory Committee (HPCAC) expressed concerns they said are still being raised by the public.

Hughes, representing reportedly close to 250 people living at the Senator apartments and other locations within 300 metres of the pit, said that there are still many questions left unanswered about the project, despite the many reports and committees that have raised concerns.

“The plan of action should be to step back, consider what (HPCAC) has said, what I have said, what engineers have said, what environment lawyers have said,” expressed Hughes, when asked what he thought the proper course should be.

He asked, “Are we there or are we not there?”, expressing confusion as to whether any action was being taken despite the city’s comments that the public was being fully engaged in the process.

Dubeau maintained that HPCAC continues to support the project, but said that the public has been let down by the company, the city, and the entire process.

“We feel that Goldcorp should step up to meet best industry practices, and they’re not doing that,” said Dubeau. “That’s where we would like them to go a little further, to modify their plans so as to have as little impact on the community as possible.”

As Dubeau waited for questions from city council after his presentation, none came.

In particular, Dubeau talked about concerns about residents of Fairway Village, located within 300 metres of the pit. A resident of the neighbourhood, Alexis Turpin, read a statement where she questioned the integrity of a city of Timmins bylaw. Dubeau also expressed concern over the bylaw’s intentions.

“The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines and the city’s bylaw both say that a Class-3 industrial site should be 300 metres away from homes,” read the statement, but that, “One paragraph, section 4-26-2d in the zoning bylaw, which is 187 pages long, says that redevelopment of a historical mining site can be done closer than 300 metres. What is a historical mining site and why does it have different rules?”

It appears the issue will be touch-and-go as the project continues to develop. City councillors were emphatically in agreement that the project is good for the community and its economic development.

Mayor Tom Laughren seemed to speak for all the councillors when he said that Goldcorp, “was one of the few companies I would feel comfortable going into this project with.”

Coun. Gary Scripnick agreed, saying, “I know that Goldcorp has a huge investment in this community.

“They have a large mill worth multi-millions dollars, a large, valuable, experienced mining workforce, maybe one of the most experienced around. Those are people who will continue to work in this community. They will be here for the long run, they are not ERG, who came and disappeared. The working relationship between city and Goldcorp is very good.”

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TIMMINS – City council unanimously approved the site plan agreement for the Hollinger Project on Monday, giving Goldcorp formal permission to proceed with the open pit mining operation that was first proposed back in 2007.

The decision did come after Bill Hughes, owner of the Senator Place apartments, and Rick Dubeau of the Hollinger Project Community Advisory Committee (HPCAC) expressed concerns they said are still being raised by the public.

Hughes, representing reportedly close to 250 people living at the Senator apartments and other locations within 300 metres of the pit, said that there are still many questions left unanswered about the project, despite the many reports and committees that have raised concerns.

“The plan of action should be to step back, consider what (HPCAC) has said, what I have said, what engineers have said, what environment lawyers have said,” expressed Hughes, when asked what he thought the proper course should be.

He asked, “Are we there or are we not there?”, expressing confusion as to whether any action was being taken despite the city’s comments that the public was being fully engaged in the process.

Dubeau maintained that HPCAC continues to support the project, but said that the public has been let down by the company, the city, and the entire process.

“We feel that Goldcorp should step up to meet best industry practices, and they’re not doing that,” said Dubeau. “That’s where we would like them to go a little further, to modify their plans so as to have as little impact on the community as possible.”

As Dubeau waited for questions from city council after his presentation, none came.

In particular, Dubeau talked about concerns about residents of Fairway Village, located within 300 metres of the pit. A resident of the neighbourhood, Alexis Turpin, read a statement where she questioned the integrity of a city of Timmins bylaw. Dubeau also expressed concern over the bylaw’s intentions.

“The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines and the city’s bylaw both say that a Class-3 industrial site should be 300 metres away from homes,” read the statement, but that, “One paragraph, section 4-26-2d in the zoning bylaw, which is 187 pages long, says that redevelopment of a historical mining site can be done closer than 300 metres. What is a historical mining site and why does it have different rules?”

It appears the issue will be touch-and-go as the project continues to develop. City councillors were emphatically in agreement that the project is good for the community and its economic development.

Mayor Tom Laughren seemed to speak for all the councillors when he said that Goldcorp, “was one of the few companies I would feel comfortable going into this project with.”

Coun. Gary Scripnick agreed, saying, “I know that Goldcorp has a huge investment in this community.

“They have a large mill worth multi-millions dollars, a large, valuable, experienced mining workforce, maybe one of the most experienced around. Those are people who will continue to work in this community. They will be here for the long run, they are not ERG, who came and disappeared. The working relationship between city and Goldcorp is very good.”